Yarn-tension device



L. T. HOUGHTON. YARN .TENSION DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17.1916.

Patented June 2 2, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS T. I-IOUGHTON, OF WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS.

YARN-TENSION DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Lnwrs T. HO GHTON, av citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Yarn-Tension Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a yarn tension device capable of general application, but particularly designed for use in connection with the yarn guide of a spooling machine.

In this type of machine considerable difliculty has been encountered in providingan even and satisfactory tension upon the yarn, such tension being necessary in orderthat the spools may be uniformly filled and may each contain substantially the same length of yarn. It was formerly the practice to place the bobbins loosely in inclined bobbin holders or troughs Within which the bobbins were revolved as the yarn was pulled sidewise therefrom. It was found. that this arrangement did not provide an even tension,

as the pull of the yarn would frequentlylift the bobbins off of the supporting holders, permitting the bobbin to revolve freely, in the air substantially without friction.

To avoid these defects, it is the coming practice to wind the yarn upon the bobbins in the'manner commonly used for winding filling, that is by depositing the yarn in short conical layers; applied successively from the butt to the top of the bobbin. Such bobbins are supported in vertical position and the yarn is wound off of theend of the bobbin, practicallywithout friction. I

With this arrangement, it becomes necessary and very important to'provide a uniform tension upon the j yarn between the bobbin and the spooland anumber of different devices have been devised for this purpose. All such devices of which I-have any knowledge have proved defective. and runsatisfactory, either through failure to provide uniform tension or on account of a resulting increase inthey labor of piecing up and threading theyarn.

- Accordingly it is the ob ect of my present invention to provide animproved and simplified tension device by the use of which an adequate tension maybe provided without increase of labor or attention .by the operator.

-With this object view, important feature of my invention relates to the provision of a tension device'with which the a guide.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat t d 1 622 1920 Application filed January 17, 1916. Serial No. 72,435.

uniform tension may be applied to the yarn and to the provision of arrangements for increasing or decreasing the tension in accordance with. the conditions of use.

My. invention further relates to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Preferred forms of my invention are shown in the drawings in which-- c F gure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of my invention, the section being taken along the line 11 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view o'f the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the tension member, and I Fig. 5is a sectional elevation'of a modifi- CfltlOlLx Referring to Fig. 1 the bobbin from which the yarn is unwound is indicated at B and the spool on which the yarn is wound is marked S. A supporting bar 11 extends longitudinally of p the machine, it being understood that t e machine contains a large number of bobbins, spoolsand spindles arranged in series along each side thereof. Spooler guides or snarl catchers 12 of any usual form are [secured to the bar 11 by clamps 13. i I

-My improved tension device is mounted on the bar 11 and is preferably positioned on the side of the bar opposite to the spooler I do not wish to be limited however to any fixed locationof the device, as the device is operative over a considerable range 'of positions. f In the form shown in Figs.

1 to 3, the tension device comprises a pair ofparallel substantially horizontal rods 14 which are secured atone end to a clamp 15 as shown in Fig. 2. These rods may be conveniently made from a single piece of stock bent to a contracted U-shape and having the free ends secured in the clamp.

- A tension member 16 is supported by and between the rods 14 and comprises a short cylindrical body portion 16, a depending hook-17 anda yarnguiding extension 18. The extension 18 first projects slightly r in order to place the yarn in downwardly from the cylindrical body 16 and then extends upwardly "at an an le to the rods 14 (as clearly shown in Fig. 3

A hanger 19 depends from the book 17 and a series of weights 20 of different sizes are provided, any one or more of which may be placed upon the hanger 19 and may be thus suspended fromthe hook 17. One of these weights is shown in Fig. 1 and the dotted lines indicate additional weights of different sizes, which may be added as desired.

A special yarn guide 21 is preferably p r0- vided between the bobbin B and the tension device, said yarn guide being formed with a recessed portion 21 substantiallyalined wlth the axis of the bobbin B and guiding the yarn therefrom The ends of the gu de may e conveniently secured to the clamps 13 and 15 which clamps may of course be combined to form a single clamping member if desired.

The method of using the tension device is most clearly shown in Fig. 1, in which it will be seen that the yarn Y upon leaving the bobbin 13 passes over the yarn guide 21, over the rods 14 and 11, and beneath the tension member 16. The yarn thereafter passes through the usual guide 12 to the spool S. The tension member presses the yarn downwardly so that it frictionally engages each of the supporting rods 14-. As the tension upon the yarn is caused entirely by the pressure of the tension member 16 due to the weight 20 this tension will be uniform during the operation of the machine and the tension upon all of the spools will be the same provided the same weights are placed upon the hangers.

Referring to Fig. 3, the operation of threading and inserting the yarn into the tension device and spooler guide is performed by passing the yarn by a single movement toward the left between the aws of the spooler guide. This movement will also carry the yarn along the inclined extension 18, slightly lifting the tension member until the yarn passes beneath the extension 18 and is engaged by the body member 16 at a point between the hook 17 and the extension 18, these parts forming in effect a notch from which the yarn cannot be accidentally displaced. It will thus appear that no extramotion whatever is necessary proper position in the tension device. 1 I

In the carrying out of my invention it is not always essential that two extra or additional rods 141- should be provided as similar results may often be secured by providing a single rod 140 (as shown in Fig. 5), supporting the tension member. 16 between itself and the bar 11. The operation of the device is essentially similar to the forms already described.

As has been noted, the tension device is not necessarily located between the bar 11 and the bobbin, it being suflicient in most cases that the tension device is interposed between the bobbin B and the spool S.

Any usual mechanical equivalent, such as a spring, may be used instead of a weight to produce pressure upon the yarn.

Having thus described my invention and certain modifications thereof it will be evident that other changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim 1. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of fixed substantially parallel yarnguiding rods and a non-rotatable tension member supported by said rods, the yarn passing over said rods and under said member and being pressed into frictional engagement between each rod and said tension member and said tension member being vertically movable to relieveexcessive tension on theyarn.

2. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of fixed substantially parallel yarn-guiding rods and a non-rotatable tension member supported by said rods, the yarn passing over said rods and under said member and being pressed into frictional engagement with each rod by said tension member, and said tension member being vertically movable to relieve excessive tension on the yarn and being provided with means for supporting a selected weight thereon to increase the tension on the yar 3. A- yarn tension device comprising a pair of substantially parallel yarn-guiding rods and a tension member supported by said rods, the yarn passing over said rods and under said member and being pressed into frictional engagement with each rod by said tension member, and sai-dtension member being vertically movable to relieve excessive tension on the yarn and having means by which the yarn may be readily guided thereunder. 1

4a. A "yarn tension device comprising a pair of substantially parallel yarn-guiding rods and a tension member supported by said rods, said member overlying the yarn and pressing the yarn into contact with said rods and being vertically movable to relieve excessive tension thereon, and said member being provided with means for supporting a weight thereon and also with an upwardl inclined extension by the useof which the yarn may be readily inserted beneath said tension member. 5. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of substantially parallel yarngui'ding rods andqa tension member supported by said rods and overlyingthe yarn, said member having a cylindrical" body portion adapted to press the yarn into frictional engagement with said rods and being freely movable longitudinally of said rods, both of a non-rotatable tension member jointly supported by and on said rods and freely movable longitudinally of said rods, and means to limit said longitudinal movement and to prevent accidental displacement of said member.

7. A yarn tension device comprising a supporting bar, a yarn guide secured to said bar, a clamp adjustably mounted on said bar, a pair of substantially horizontal parallel rods fixed in said clamp and positioned adjacent to said bar and above said guide, a

tension member supported by and between said rods and adapted to press the yarn into frictional engagement with said rods, and means to apply pressure to said member to increasethe tension on the yarn.

8. A yarn tension device comprising a supporting bar, a pair of substantially horizontal parallel rods formed from a continuous piece of metal bent to contracted U- shape, means to clamp said rods to said bar and a tension member supported by and between said rods.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LEWIS T. HOUGHTON, 

